To Walk Among Clouds
by Nimbus01
Summary: Bron has arrived in the Great Valley, Fyn meets a new face during a rescue, and someone else catches Littlefoot's eye, as well. Could this be... love? This is a direct follow-up to "Where Paths Diverge." Read and enjoy! Reviews are welcome!
1. Chapter 1: The Rescue

_To Walk Among Clouds_

_Chapter 1: The Rescue_

**First, a note. This story takes place immediately after "Where Paths Diverge," so to those I told that I would write a story explaining how Fyn met Chomper and Ruby, I apologize. That particular work is still in development, and it _will _be released, but this story came to mind as I finished my last story. As to what it's about, well, read on!**

Fyn walked under the cool water running from the Thundering Falls as he and his friends entered the Great Valley. It felt good on his sore muscles and wounds. He was sure that everyone else was enjoying the sensation as well. The journey had been hard for all of them. Fyn looked around, taking in the sweeping grass and smooth hills covered in dense forest. The sight of the Great Valley materializing right behind the entrance never got old. He was glad they'd made it back, and counted himself lucky that they'd come back without any serious trouble.

"_In fact," _Fyn reminded himself, _"if Chomper hadn't saved us, we might not have even made it home at all." _

Littlefoot sighed, supported on Fyn's shoulder. He'd been hurt in a fight with some Fast Claws, and he needed rest.

"It's so good to be home," he said.

Fyn nodded. "Yes it is. Hey, didn't you say Bron was headed this way?"

Littlefoot lit up immediately, "Yeah, he was! Or at least, that's where it sounded like!" He groaned, suddenly. When he stood up, he'd irritated his chest again.

"We need to get you back for some rest," Fyn said. "Come on, my family's nest isn't far from here. We'll get your grandparents and have them come meet you."

"I'd really appreciate that," Littlefoot said, "thanks."

They moved into the valley, walking around the border of the lake, in the shadow of the mountains. As they were walking, Littlefoot suddenly felt a nudge on his back. He turned around, expecting Ducky or Petrie.

"Surprise!"

Littlefoot was startled, then beamed when he realized who was there. Standing behind him was Bron!

"Dad!" Littlefoot said, running to his father and ignoring his throbbing chest, "you made it!"

"I did, and this time, I'm here for good."

Ducky, Spike, and Petrie walked up with Cera.

"I hate to interrupt," Ducky said, "but we'll be taking Cera back to her dad, to rest. See you two later!"

Fyn and Littlefoot nodded to her, then turned back to Bron.

"How was the journey?" Littlefoot asked.

"Everything was fine," Bron said, "up until the Mountains that Burn, anyway," he said, under his breath.

"Mountains that Burn?" Fyn asked, "what happened there?"

"Look around," Bron said, indicating his herd, grazing quietly.

"I see your herd," Littlefoot said, "but that doesn't look like everyone."

"And you'd be correct," Bron said. "That's _not _everyone. My herd was split by an Earthshake. I've been waiting for someone to help me find the others."

"Why would you need someone else?" Littlefoot asked.

"Because I don't know this area well enough. I decided to wait for you."

"Well I'd be glad to help," Littlefoot said, stepping forward eagerly. Suddenly, his face contorted in pain, and he stumbled.

"Littlefoot, what's wrong?" Bron asked, rushing to his son's side.

"He was injured in a Fast Claw attack," Fyn explained, helping his friend back up.

"Fast Claws?"

"Sharpteeth," Fyn said, "green, with a blue stripe. They look like big Fast Biters. A pack attacked us before we came here."

"I see," Bron said.

"Don't worry about me," Littlefoot said, "I'm okay to go."

"No you're not," Bron said, "right now, you need rest. I'll just have to find someone else."

"I'm sorry," Fyn said, walking Littlefoot back towards his nest. Suddenly, he had an idea.

"I could help you," he said to Bron, turning around.

Bron's face lit up again. "You could? Do you know your way around outside the Great Wall?"

"Well enough," Fyn said, "I just need to get Littlefoot to my parents first."

"Thank you so much," Bron said, "this means a lot to me. Meet me back here when you're ready."

Fyn nodded, escorting Littlefoot away. Time to say hello to the family before leaving again. He wondered how they would take the news.

"_Not well," _he decided, spotting them all waiting for him back at the nest.

…

Keva and Labon were at the nest, along with Fyn's sisters: Salde and Rya, and they greeted Littlefoot and Fyn warmly as they arrived.

"Welcome back," Labon said, "I see your journey was successful."

Keva, with a mother's eye for such things, quickly noticed Littlefoot's injury. "Oh dear," she said, "come over here and lay down." She moved Littlefoot over to some soft grass. Littlefoot sank into it with a sigh.

"What happened out there?" Keva asked.

"Sharpteeth," Fyn said. Labon nodded. We'll let Littlefoot rest here until he's well enough to make his way back to his grandparents. In the meantime, I suppose we'd better have them over here, to see their grandson."

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Fyn said. He stood still for a few moments, still looking at his parents.

"Fyn?" his mother said, "is there something else you want to say?"

Fyn looked down and kicked at a clump of grass, almost mumbling his words. "I need to go back out into the Mysterious Beyond."

"Whatever for?" Keva asked, "Chomper's safe, all your friends are here-"

"It's not about any of my friends. It's Bron, Littlefoot's dad. His herd was divided during an Earthshake, and he needs someone to accompany him through the Mountains that Burn. I promise you, I won't go any farther than that."

Keva pondered Fyn's statement for a moment. Labon spoke up. "I know Bron, and I trust him. He was the one that gave us the directions to the Great Valley when we had to migrate. Fyn will be safe with him."

"That's not the problem," Keva said, "well, actually, it _is _a problem, but it's not _the _problem. You expect me to let our son, our child, go out risking his life again? He's just come back to us!"

"He's not a child anymore," Labon said, "he's become an adult. If he wants to help Bron, it's his own choice."

"I'll be back before the Bright Circle falls," Fyn added.

Keva grumbled. "I suppose it's no use trying to convince either of you two to give up this idea. Fyn, you can go, just promise me you'll be careful."

"I will," he said, turning back to rejoin Bron.

"And be back before the Bright Circle falls!" she called after him.

Fyn smiled. No matter how old he got, some things would never change.

…

Bron looked up as Fyn approached. "Is Littlefoot alright?" he asked.

"He's fine," Fyn said, "my parents are looking after him, and his grandparents are on their way. Let's get this done."

"Agreed. My herd shouldn't have to wait any longer than they already have."

They both stepped out through the entrance under the Thundering Falls. Fyn wondered just how often he'd pass through this entrance in his lifetime. So far, it seemed to be a common occurrence.

"Bron," he asked, suddenly remembering one of the members of the Longneck's herd, "what about that tall green Longneck? Is he here?"

"Who, Shorty? I'm afraid not. He's trapped with the others."

"We need to hurry," Fyn said as they stepped outside the cave. "Show me where you were separated."

Bron nodded, taking the lead. They walked quickly, soon entering a canyon. Fyn had arrived at the Valley tired, but the thrill of participating in a real rescue made him quickly forget his fatigue. Overhead, the Bright Circle was starting its descent; they had to move faster.

"It's pretty amazing," Fyn said as they walked on.

"What is?"

"How all of our paths seem to cross. It was you who told my Grandpa how to get to the Great Valley."

"Poldar, yes, I remember. How is he?"

Fyn was silent for a moment. "He.. didn't make it. That's why I had to lead the herd the rest of the way."

"I'm sorry," Bron said, "he was one of the most respectable Longnecks I've ever met."

Fyn nodded, "I thought so, too." He didn't speak afterwards.

Bron spoke again, "So if you and Littlefoot were friends since you arrived, why didn't I see you before?"

Fyn smiled, "Entirely my fault. When you arrived at the Great Valley, Littlefoot and his friends were with Chomper and Ruby, and at that time, I didn't trust either of them. I got over my uncertainty eventually, though."

Bron nodded, and they continued onwards.

"How close are-" Fyn stopped mid-sentence as he rounded a corner behind Bron. In front of him was a massive rockslide, completely blocking the canyon.

"_That _was what cut you off?"

"Yes, it caught us completely by surprise. I wouldn't dare have my herd climb over it, their sheer weight would bring it down instantly, but I think we can manage."

"Alright, then," Fyn said, stepping onto the lower rocks and testing them for stability. Satisfied, he started up. Bron, meanwhile, had found another path. It was slow going at first; Longnecks were only used to traversing flat terrain. Soon, however, they found a rhythm and began to climb faster. Fyn was breathing hard, and his legs were sore- the fatigue was returning. He couldn't quit, though, not with a herd trapped behind this pile of rocks with all the dangers of the Mysterious Beyond around them. He struggled on, slipping on a few loose stones near the top of the heap. Finally, he was up. He looked over at Bron, who had already made it to the top.

"Are you sure you're well enough to go the rest of the way?" Bron asked.

"I'm fine," Fyn said, "just a little tired, that's all."

They started down into the canyon on the other side, and Fyn quickly found that moving down was just as hard as moving up. It took all of his concentration to keep from slipping down the steep slope. By the time they reached the canyon floor, Fyn had experienced his share of slips and falls. It was good to be on solid ground again.

"Let's move," Bron said, "I don't know how much time we have."

Suddenly, a faint call for help echoed through the canyon. Bron's eyes widened.

"Someone ahead's in trouble, let's go."

"Do you think its the herd?" Fyn asked as he and Bron broke into a run.

"Anything's possible," Bron answered, "and at this point, I don't know who else it could be." Ahead, near the base of a tall mountain, Fyn could see some dinosaurs grouped together. "The herd!" he said, "that's them."

"Right," Bron said, "and _that's _why they're calling for help."

Fyn looked to where Bron was gesturing. The herd was being surrounded by Fast Biters moving in from all sides. He tried to count them, but stopped at thirty. There were definitely more than enough to make short work of everyone. He turned to ask Bron about his plan of action, but the Longneck was already gone, racing towards the threat. Fyn shook his head and followed; Bron was just like his own father, always jumping in to save the day no matter the odds. As they drew closer, Fyn noticed that the dinosaurs on the outside of the herd had formed a protective barrier around those on the inside, who were weaker. Then he saw something that very nearly stopped him in his tracks: one of the dinosaurs forming the barrier was a Fin-Neck. He'd never seen another Fin-Neck outside of his herd before. This one was female, and she was a light blue in color, still sporting the black stripe and spines that all Fin-Necks had. Fyn had to admit, she looked like she knew what she was doing, bellowing and lashing her tail at the Fast Biters with the rest of the herd. Fyn barely had time to notice her, however, before he and Bron plowed into the Fast Biters, scattering them on all sides.

Fyn stopped in the midst of the small Sharpteeth, and immediately swung into action, cracking his tail and sending Fast Biters flying. Others he kicked or shoved away. Bron, too, was in the thick of the fighting. He was fending off several of the Sharpteeth, and already had a few dazed ones heaped on the ground next to him. Soon, some of the herd began to join in the fight as well. The Fast Biters were confused. In their attack, they'd suddenly become the defenders. They realized the sudden reversal of roles, and quickly began to pull away, leaving the herd in peace. Fyn lowered his tail, leaving his defensive stance. Bron relaxed as well, returning to the herd. Shorty met him.

"Bron, you came back for us. Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Bron said, smiling, "it's my duty."

Shorty noticed Fyn. "Hey, it's you- Spines, or Saily or something like that."

"Fyn," Fyn said, stepping forward, "it's Fyn."

"Right," Shorty said, "I remember now. You met up with us a little while ago. Where's Littlefoot?"

"Injured," Fyn said, "but he's being looked after. He'll be fine."

Shorty breathed a sigh of relief, "thank goodness for that. Now, do you know a way out of here?"

"Of course," Fyn said, "right this way."

As he walked ahead, passing by the herd, Fyn looked for the Fin-Neck he had seen earlier. He couldn't see her. Then he looked back at Bron and found her talking to him. She'd evidently charged into the fight as soon as he and Bron had shown up. Fyn stopped.

"_Very impressive," _Fyn thought, _"I should really talk to-"_

He removed the thought from his mind. He really _did _want to talk to her, but something was holding him back. What was it? He'd never had problems introducing himself before. He tried to think, when the obvious hit him. It was the _girl. _She seemed different from the other girls he'd spoken with in his life. He didn't know how, exactly, but he knew it was true.

"_Still," _he thought, _"I need to thank her for her help with the Fast Biters."_

Taking a deep breath, he walked towards her.

"-And this is Fyn," Bron said, as Fyn drew nearer, "he's one of my son's friends."

The Fin-Neck turned her head to look at Fyn. Suddenly, Fyn felt his throat start to close. His heart was pounding in his chest. Something weird was _definitely _going on, here.

"Another Fin-Neck?" the Longneck said, "I've never seen any others. I'm Shael." She smiled. At the sound of her voice, Fyn could feel the blood rushing to his face, and he knew he was blushing.

"I'm Fyn," he said, "but you already know that- I mean, not like you knew that before, but that- I mean, Bron said- I-" he sighed. "Hi. Pleased to meet you."

A small chuckle escaped Shael's mouth. "And you as well." She turned to Bron. "We need to get moving. The Bright Circle won't be in the sky for much longer."

"Good idea," Fyn blurted out, then shut himself up. "I'll just... get to the front of the herd now. We're really not far away." He turned around and walked away, mentally kicking himself for his blundered conversation. He suddenly had a very good idea of why seeing Shael had put him outside his comfort zone, but he needed to talk to his parents first, to confirm his suspicions. Fyn felt that in the next few days, his life was about to become a whole lot more complicated.

**Hm, any ideas on what's going on, yet? This is going to be kind of a new story genre for me to explore, and I expect I'll have a lot of fun with it. Chapters may not be released as quickly as "Where Paths Diverge," but I can promise that I will work on this story diligently. See ya next chapter, and as always, reviews are welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2: When the Bug Bites, Part 1

_Chapter 2: When the Bug Bites, Part 1_

Once Fyn entered the Great Valley safely with Bron's herd, Bron thanked him generously for his help, and said he'd bring one of his herd members to Littlefoot the next day; one gifted in the ways of healing. Fyn accepted the thanks, bid Bron goodnight, and left for his nest. He had some questions that needed answering. He looked over at the Bright Circle. It was still barely above the horizon.

"_Good," _he thought, _"I've made it."_

As he entered his family's nesting area, he saw Littlefoot lying on the ground, wide awake, while his Grandparents slumbered behind him.

"I take it they're staying?" Fyn nodded to Grandma and Grandpa Longneck.

"Yeah," Littlefoot replied, "until I'm healed fully."

"Cool," Fyn said.

"How'd it go?" Littlefoot whispered.

"Fine," Fyn said, still trying to shake his memory of Shael, "everyone made it back safely."

Littlefoot looked at his friend's face. He seemed jumpy tonight. "Something the matter?"

"What?" Fyn said distractedly, "oh, of course not, nothing's the matter."

"Of course nothing's the matter," Littlefoot said, not believing his friend's story, "why did I ever think that?"

"You think I'm lying?"

"Yep, but your business is your business, so I won't press you for the information."

"Right," Fyn said, "I need to go speak with my parents." He dashed off, into the nearby forest. Littlefoot smiled. If Fyn was feeling what he thought he was feeling, things around here were going to get _very _interesting.

…

Fyn found his parents grazing in the forest, as they usually did at this time of day. They looked up as he approached.

"See?" Fyn said, "back before the Bright Circle left the sky, just like I said."

Labon reached up and snapped off an entire branch of Treestars, presenting it to Keva. She took the food and smiled at him. "Looks like I won."

Labon grumbled in mock displeasure. Fyn was confused. "What's going on? Am I missing something here?"

Labon laughed. Your mother and I bet each other a full branch of Treestars on when you'd be back. She thought you'd be here on time, and I thought you'd be late. As you can see, I lost.

"Well," Keva said, "what's the fun in winning when you can't share the spoils," she said, offering the branch to Labon. They both began to eat.

"Is the herd here now?" Labon inquired.

"They are," Fyn said, "and all of them arrived safely."

"Excellent."

"That's not why I came to talk, though."

"Oh?" Keva said, "then why _did_ you come?"

"Well, you see, there was this, um..." Fyn stammered.

Labon and Keva looked at each other with a knowing expression. "Out with it," Labon said.

"There was a, uh... a _girl _with the herd."

"Well I'm sure there are plenty of girl dinosaurs in a herd," Labon said, winking at Keva, "so?"

"A girl Fin-Neck."

They were silent, but looked to Fyn to continue.

"I've seen other Fin-Necks before, but she was... different for some reason."

"Different?" Keva asked, smiling slightly, "how so?"

"Well, when I looked at her, I felt strange, like I... well, I don't know how to describe it, but when I tried to talk to her, I couldn't get the words right. Am I sick?" he concluded, "did something in the Mysterious Beyond do this to me? I know bugs can do stuff like this when they bite you, make you feel weird and all that." He looked over at his parents, who were suddenly in silent laughter. "What's so funny? This is serious!"

"Oh yes," Labon said, stifling his laughter, "it most definitely _is_ serious!"

"What's wrong then?" Fyn said, suddenly concerned, "was I bitten by something?"

Keva grinned, "you could say that, yes."

"What was it?"

"A bug, like you said," Labon answered.

"I knew it! What kind of bug?"

Keva and Labon shared a smile, then answered simultaneously, "love!"

Fyn was shocked. Him? In love? Never had he expected to fall for someone. Since he was a child, he'd always sworn that he would remain alone and explore the Mysterious Beyond with his friends for the rest of his life. Love was most definitely _not _a part of his plan.

"Love? No way," he spoke.

"All the symptoms are there," Keva said, laughing.

Fyn was appalled. His parents thought this was _funny? _"I need to get out of here," he said, "I just need some time alone!"He turned and ran off, back to his nest. Labon and Keva chuckled again. Their son, it seemed, had finally grown up.

…

Fyn raced to Littlefoot's side, shaking his friend awake.

"Ow," Littlefoot said, "watch the side, it still hurts."

"Sorry," Fyn whispered.

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Littlefoot, I need to tell you something urgent."

"Go for it," Littlefoot said, leaning back onto his right side.

"You've got to help me," said Fyn, "I think I'm in love!"

Littlefoot's face was blank for a moment, then a huge grin broke out over his face. "I knew it!" he whooped. His Grandfather snored loudly, almost waking. Littlefoot looked around, shutting his mouth. "I knew it," he whispered again, "alright, who is it? I have a right to know."

Fyn couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Littlefoot thought this whole thing was a joke, too?

"Why does everyone think this is funny?" he asked aloud. "This is _terrible!"_

"No it's not," Littlefoot said, "really, it isn't."

"What? Can't you help me?"

"I suppose I could," Littlefoot said, with a smile, "but I'm so tired right now." He exaggerated a yawn.

"You're just going to sleep on this thing?"

"Yep."

"You can't do this to me!" Fyn said.

"Wanna bet? Watch me." Littlefoot pretended to doze off.

"Oh, come on!" Fyn said, "what should I do?"

"Talk to your parents," Littlefoot said, "they know more about this stuff than I do."

"I just _did," _Fyn said, "and they didn't help at all."

"Try again. They just like to tease about stuff like this, that's all."

"Fine," Fyn said, "if that's what works..."

"If you need anything else, talk to me in the morning." Littlefoot's words trailed off as he fell into slumber again.

Gathering his courage, Fyn decided to go back to his parents. He stood up and began to walk back to the forest. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. He couldn't lose himself this time. He saw his parents exiting the trees and met them at the forest's entrance.

"Sorry I ran off," he said.

"Oh, don't be," Keva said, "we were teasing you pretty hard."

"Still, that's not an excuse."

"Don't worry about it."

"Do you want to talk to us about this?" Labon asked.

"If you don't mind, yes." Fyn answered.

"Well then," Keva said, let's get back to the nest. We'll talk there. They walked under the Night Circle's pale light back to their nesting area, where Labon and Keva both laid down, only raising their necks. Fyn followed suit, relaxing on the ground as well.

"Now," Keva started, "let's start with the simple questions. Do you know her name?"

"Shael," Fyn answered almost instinctively.

"Shael," Keva murmured, nodding, "it's a very beautiful name."

"I don't see what knowing her name has to do with this," Fyn said, "I'm just trying to find out what's wrong."

"Oh, _nothing's _wrong, dear," Keva said.

"How do you know?"

"Well, do any of these feelings you have make you feel bad? Maybe sad?"

Fyn thought about it. Come to think of it, none of them had. If anything, they'd made him feel a bit giddy.

"Not really," he answered, "but is this really normal?"

"Of course it is!" Labon said. "Did you really think your mother and I were just... together one day?"

"Well, I guess I never really thought about it," Fyn said.

"Yes," Keva continued, "it's quite normal for this to happen to a Longneck your age. In fact, it happens to almost everybody, and now that you're old enough to begin searching for a mate, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't get to know this 'Shael' more."

"Hm," Fyn said, "maybe you're right." He lowered his head and yawned, his weariness finally catching up with him.

"I guess I'd better... I'd bett... I..." Fyn's words faded away as he sunk into an exhausted sleep.

"Sleep well, my little Fyn," Keva said, touching her muzzle to the top of her son's head. She gazed at Fyn, recalling how much he'd grown over the years. It was so hard to believe he was a young adult, now. As the light from the Night Circle flooded the Great Valley, she and Labon fell into a comfortable sleep. Tonight, it seemed, the whole Valley was at peace at last.

**Off I go into previously uncharted territory for me. I mean, seriously! I'm this far in, and no one's _died _yet. Very different for me. Still, it's been fun so far. I always knew it was time for a break from dark, serious stories. Now, I can relax and have some fun with this. Please review and enjoy!**


	3. Chapter 3: When the Bug Bites, Part 2

_Chapter 3: When the Bug Bites, Part 2_

Littlefoot awoke, groggily. He hadn't slept well the night before; pain from his chest had kept him up. At this point, he was sure the pain wouldn't go away without some kind of treatment. Thankfully, he realized, Bron had said he would bring a healer to observe him. Slowly, he got up onto his front feet, looking around. Fyn was right next to him, snoring away, as were his parents.

"_I hope I wasn't too hard on him last night," _Littlefoot thought, recalling how he'd teased his friend. He supposed he'd find out when Fyn awoke. He stretched his back legs, trying to avoid putting any strain on his chest, and relaxed, waiting for everyone else to greet the day.

…

By the time everyone else began to wake up, Littlefoot had grown very bored. He tried to amuse himself by looking at clouds, but so far, the day had been nearly cloudless. When he heard Fyn stirring, he almost jumped for joy. Almost.

"Fyn," he called out, "you awake?"

Fyn groaned, "I am now." He opened his sleep-blurred eyes and looked at Littlefoot. "Why so eager?"

"I've been sitting here for too long," Littlefoot answered. "I couldn't go back to sleep when I woke up, so I had nothing to do until you got up."

"That must be hard," Fyn said, "not being able to move at all for a few days."

"A few days?" Littlefoot said, "did they really say it would take that long to heal?"

Fyn shrugged, "that's just my guess. Want me to get you some Treestars?"

"Sure," Littlefoot said, "and Fyn-"

The orange Fin-Neck turned around.

"No hard feelings about last night, right?"

"None at all. I just overreacted. I'll be right back." Fyn headed over to the trees, leaving Littlefoot alone again. Littlefoot yawned once more. Until Fyn got back, things were only going to get boring again.

…

Fyn walked to the trees, to find Littlefoot's Treestars. Today, he had an extra spring in his step, smiling and walking along happily. Now that he knew he was truly in love, he didn't feel quite so bad about it. Truth be told, the fact made him quite excited, and a little nervous. He wanted desperately to meet Shael again, perhaps impress her, but he had no idea how to go about doing it. He decided he'd have to form a plan. He was still formulating his plan when he almost ran into a Treestar tree. Shaking his head, he spoke to himself.

"Come on, now. Don't let your guard down just because you're in _love._"

And there it was again. That four-letter word: love. As soon as he thought about it, it became the most important thing in his mind again. He stood on his back legs with his front legs against the tree's trunk, halfheartedly trying to decide which branch held the best Treestars. Mostly, however, his mind was occupied elsewhere, specifically: Shael."

He'd finally selected a branch, but it was high in the tree. For extra height, he removed his front legs from the tree, balancing on his back ones. He reached for the branch, stretching out as much as he could...

"Hello," a familiar voice said.

"Whoa!" Fyn, startled, lost his balance and crashed into the tree, toppling it. He, naturally, went down with it.

"Oh no," the voice said, "are you okay?"

Fyn looked up from his leafy crash and froze. It was Shael.

"Oh, I'm- I'm fine."

"Good," she said, "that looked like a bad fall."

"Bad fall?" Fyn said, distractedly, "oh yes, yes it was, but I'm alright now."

Shael looked at him with an amused grin. "What are you doing out here this early?"

"Well, I was, um, I was looking for... Treestars, for my friend."

"He can't get them himself?"

"Nope," Fyn said, becoming more comfortable, "he's injured."

"Oh, I see. He must be the one Bron is having Taria examine."

"Taria?" Fyn asked, confused, "is she the healer?"

"I guess so," Shael said.

Fyn gulped and took a deep breath. An idea suddenly occurred to him. Why not ask Shael if she wanted a look around her new home, the Great Valley? It was as good a place as any to start, and they'd be able to talk a little longer.

"Do you want to come with me to meet my friend?" he asked, quickly.

"Your friend? You mean Littlefoot?"

"Yep, that's him. I could even show you around the Great Valley if you wanted to."

"Well," she said, "that sounds great."

"Excellent," Fyn said, "let's go."

"Oh, wait!" Shael said, "what about Littlefoot's Treestars?"

"Oh, right," Fyn said, embarrassed at having forgotten something so simple. He walked back to the tree and separated a branch.

"'Ollow 'ee," he said, with a mouthful of tree.

Shael laughed; this other Fin-Neck was turning out to be a lot of fun. A bit on the jumpy side, perhaps, but a good dinosaur, nonetheless. She was anxious to see his friend, Littlefoot, as well. She'd heard a lot about her herd leader's son, and was anxious to say hello. The two Fin-Necks plodded along, back to Fyn's nest, where Littlefoot was surely waiting, bored.

…

"Here we are," Fyn said, arriving at the nest. Littlefoot was still the only one awake, "and that's Littlefoot," he said, nodding to his injured friend.

"Pleased to meet you, Littlefoot. I'm Shael." The blue Fin-Neck walked over to Littlefoot.

"The pleasure is mine," Littlefoot said. When Shael looked away for a moment, Littlefoot wagged his eyebrows up and down jokingly, eliciting a snarl from Fyn.

"Now I must ask," Shael said, turning back to Littlefoot, "what were you doing that injured you?"

"Well," said Littlefoot, "long story short, Fast Claws attacked us. I was injured, but we all managed to fight them off, with a little help from a Sharptooth of course."

"A Sharptooth? What do you mean?"

"We used to have a friend who was a Sharptooth," Fyn explained, but he moved out into the Mysterious Beyond."

"Wow, that's pretty neat," Shael said. She turned to look at the Valley. "Ah, I see Bron and Taria approaching. We'll leave you to your treatment," she said to Littlefoot.

"Ready for a look around?" Fyn asked.

"Of course," Shael answered.

Littlefoot watched them go, happy that his friend had found someone, perhaps someone who could be more than a friend. He felt somewhat sad as well, though. He wondered if the same would ever happen to him. He felt the ground shake with approaching footsteps; his father was on his way. As he watched, Bron's head appeared over the ridge of the hill that Fyn's nest was on. As Bron made his way up the hill, Littlefoot's jaw practically dropped when he saw who was following. Behind him was a Longneck, Littlefoot noticed, much like himself. She was tan, and slightly shorter than Bron, about Littlefoot's age, and she had deep green eyes. What had Shael said her name was? Taria? In any case, she was the most beautiful Longneck Littlefoot had ever set eyes on. Her mouth was moving, but Littlefoot couldn't make out the words, he was so entranced.

"Hello? Are you alright?"

"Huh?" Littlefoot said, shaking himself out of his trance, "oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"You'll have to forgive my son," Bron said, "he tends to lose focus occasionally."

Taria nodded absently, moving to Littlefoot's side. She knelt down, and spoke to him.

"What hurts?"

Littlefoot answered, trying to sound tough, "oh, nothing really, I think I'll be fine."

"Don't try to play tough. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Her sharpness convinced Littlefoot that perhaps telling the truth would be the best course of action.

"Alright, then. There's some pain right here," he said, nudging his sore chest with his nose."

"Let me take a look."Taria moved her head forward, touching Littlefoot's chest. Littlefoot felt a shock course through his body. She'd _touched _him! He looked over at Bron. Evidently, his dad had already determined what Littlefoot was thinking, and was having a hard time holding back his amusement. Finally, Taria stood up.

"I've seen this before. It can be treated, but I need the right plants."

"Just tell us what you need and we'll get them." Grandpa and Grandma Longneck said, waking up behind Littlefoot.

"Oh, could you? That would help a lot."

"Absolutely," said Grandpa Longneck. He studied Taria closely, "I don't think I've seen you here before."

"That's right," Taria answered, "I came here with Bron's herd."

"I see," said Grandma Longneck, "well, let us know what Littlefoot needs and we'll find it."

Taria, overjoyed to have some help, ran down a list of plants that would speed up Littlefoot's healing process and ease the pain. Right away, the grandparents set off. Taria turned to Bron.

"I'll be back later, when Littlefoot's grandparents return. There are others who were hurt in the Fast Biter attack that need my help."

Bron nodded. "Fine with me. I'll stay with my son. See you later."

Taria turned away, and walked back down the hill. When she was out of earshot, Bron spoke to Littlefoot.

"So... Taria. Pretty, isn't she?"

Littlefoot tried to play dumb. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know very well what I mean. I wouldn't have missed the look on your face when she showed up for all of the Treestars in the Great Valley."

"Was I that obvious?" Littlefoot asked.

Bron considered this for a moment. "Yes, you were."

Littlefoot cast his eyes downward. "Oh, who am I kidding? I'd probably better not even try to start something."

"What's this? My son, who found the Great Valley nearly on his own, who helped me save the world from the Bright Circle, and who just recently fought off a pack of Fast Claws wants to quit? This early?"

"Why try?" Littlefoot said, "she never seemed interested in me."

"Well, females are strange like that," Bron said. They were quiet for a moment, each with his own thoughts. Finally, Bron broke the silence.

"Want to know how your mother and I met?"

Littlefoot looked up. "I thought you just saw each other one day and knew."

"Oh no," Bron said, "if only it were that easy." He drew closer to Littlefoot, laying by his side. "I saw her when my herd met another out in the Mysterious Beyond," he began. "Both herds decided to merge, for safety, and as it turned out, we were both going in the same direction. Well, your mother was among the other herd, and when I saw her, I couldn't keep my eyes off her. I spent most of our journey just trying to figure out how to talk to her, and when I did, I'll tell you now, I was more scared than a Fastrunner facing a Sharptooth. I was stammering all over the place, and shaking like a leaf in the breeze, but we found some common interests we had, and once we began to talk about those, my fear disappeared. We became friends, and in time, mates. I could never have asked for anyone better." He stared off into space, wistfully, with tears in his eyes as he recalled his memories of Littlefoot's mother.

"Common interests," Littlefoot said, "you may have a point there."

"I do," Bron said, "just don't give up. This is another goal for you, Littlefoot, and goals are seldom ever easy to achieve, but if you're truly interested in her, and I think you are, then you shouldn't give up now. Give her a chance to know you."

"Thanks, Dad," Littlefoot said, "I will."

"Any time," Bron said, starting the walk back to his herd, "That's what I'm your father for, after all." He walked away, then, as an afterthought, he turned his head back to Littlefoot.

"You know, the Day of Mates celebration is coming up this season. Might want to look into it." He turned away.

Littlefoot watched his father leave. He was already trying to figure out a plan to speak with Taria. Perhaps later, when she returned. He also considered what his father had said. The Day of Mates? That _was _something worth looking into. He rolled back over, and soon dozed off. There would be time enough later to put his plan into action. Now was the time for sleep.

**Who knew an entirely different genre could be so much fun to write? Look for more chapters coming this week!**


	4. Chapter 4: Of Mud and Stars

_Chapter 4: Of Mud and Stars_

Fyn stopped in front of Saurus Rock, the first location he wanted to show Shael.

"This is Saurus Rock," he said. Shael looked on, slack-jawed, at the massive stone formation in front of them. Its sheer size dominated the smaller rock formations around it.

"Funny," she said, looking closer, "it kind of looks like a Longneck."

"You'd be right," Fyn said. "In fact, some say it just... appeared, out of nowhere one day, when the Lone Dinosaur defeated the Meanest Sharptooth in battle."

"Lone Dinosaur?" Shael said, "who's that?"

"Well," Fyn said, "he's-"

"Wait just a moment," Shael said, "what makes you so sure the Lone Dinosaur is a _male?"_

"Well, in all of the stories, he's-"

"Stories all told by _males, _I'm sure." Shael backed up, smiling and swinging her tail back and forth.

"Come on, Fyn, just one round. For fun."

Fyn gulped, remembering how Shael had taken on the Fast Biters in the Mountains that Burn. "Are you really sure this is a good idea?"

"No, but what's got you worried? Afraid, perhaps?"

Fyn sighed, "Alright, _one _round, then we're done. We've got a whole valley to explore."

"Fine," Shael said, "I don't think this'll take long, anyway."

Both Fin-Necks snapped into defensive positions and sized each other up, looking for a weak spot, something to end the battle early. Fyn faked lunging right, and instead went left. Initially, Shael fell for the trick, but she countered faster than Fyn had expected, using her tail to block his path. Fyn reared up and brought his front feet crashing into the ground, menacingly. Shael was unphased, opting instead to snap her tail in front of Fyn's face, causing him to retreat.

"Hey!" he said, "I'm not so sure tails are fair."

"Since when has a Sharptooth ever fought fairly?" Shael asked. Then, faster than Fyn could react, she darted forward and ran her tail under Fyn's front legs, swiping it forwards and tripping him.

"Oof," Fyn said, landing hard. Shael laughed.

"Sorry, Fyn," she said, "just teasing."

"No harm done," Fyn said, shaking himself free of dust and standing up, "I went easy on you, anyway."

"Sure," Shael said, as the two began walking again. "What's our next stop?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Well, while we're near the mountains, we might as well check out Threehorn Peak," Fyn said.

"Sounds interesting." Shael said, "it resembles a Threehorn, then?"

"Oh, you have no idea..." Fyn said, chuckling to himself.

…

Littlefoot was alert for most of the morning, constantly on the lookout for Taria. He knew he'd have to be ready to try to start a conversation quickly; she tended to keep her visits brief. He asked his grandparents if they'd seen her coming when they arrived with the plants. They shook their heads and said no. Littlefoot thanked them anyway, and resumed his wait. He decided to have a look at what he had in front of him: a few Treestars, some small red fruits, a large, dark green leaf that he'd never seen before, and a couple of small, slender shoots of grass. He sniffed them. They didn't smell great, but they weren't terrible either, and if they were going to help him heal, he was willing to try them.

"What are you doing?"

Littlefoot started, jumping back from the plants and hurting his chest again.

"Ow," he said, rather unnecessarily.

Taria was right next to him; she'd managed to arrive completely undetected.

"Whoa, let's just calm down. No need to make your injuries worse." Taria helped him back to a comfortable position, then she stood by the plants and fruit, making sure they were everything she needed. Satisfied, she lifted her foot up and crushed them together.

"My turn to ask," Littlefoot said, "what are _you _doing?"

"I'm mixing everything together. Some of these plants you wouldn't be able to eat alone. They taste terrible."

Littlefoot nodded. "Smart idea."

Once she finished her crushing, Taria offered the ground up food to Littlefoot. "Eat up."

Deciding that eating small amounts would just make things worse if the food wasn't good, Littlefoot ate everything at once, swallowing quickly. Initially, the taste wasn't bad, but the shoots of grass left a bad aftertaste in his mouth. Trying to ignore it, he decided now was the best time to try to strike up a conversation.

"So, you tended to the others today?"

Taria nodded. "What's it matter to you, though? I can't imagine healing is very interesting to you."

"Are you kidding?" Littlefoot said, "I've always wanted to know about healing."

This was actually true. Littlefoot did indeed have an interest in healing. He just didn't know where to start with the subject. Taria's eyes widened.

"Really? I've never met anyone who shared my interests before."

"My problem is, I've never met anyone who could teach me about healing," Littlefoot said.

"Well," Taria said, "perhaps when you're feeling better, I'll show you a bit about it." She turned and began to walk away again. "I'll be back tomorrow. If you can walk well enough by then, I've got something else for you to try."

"Sounds fine to me," Littlefoot said, watching Taria go, content that he'd made a step in the right direction. He wondered how Fyn and Shael were enjoying their walk.

…

Fyn stopped in a low part of the Valley, looking around.

"Yep, I think this is the place," he said.

Shael was confused. "I don't understand. There's nothing here." She glanced at their surroundings: nothing but short grass and the odd bush.

"Right," Fyn said, "there's nothing here _now, _but believe me, there _was _something here."

"I still don't follow."

"Let me put it this way," Fyn said, "imagine this whole area covered in water."

"Water?" Shael said, observing the surrounding terrain, "that's not possible. It would have to be deeper than I am tall."

"Well, then this should come as a surprise for you. This whole area really _was _underwater."

"No way."

Fyn nodded. "It's true. It happened a while before I came here, but Littlefoot and the gang told me about it. Skywater fell for days without stopping, and all the water just got trapped here. I'm guessing it made things pretty interesting in the Great Valley."

"I'm sure," Shael said, impressed.

"Back to the sightseeing," Fyn said, moving along. They headed towards some tall grass in the near distance. Suddenly, Fyn saw some of his friends approaching from the right: Ducky, Cera, Petrie, and Spike.

"Hey," Cera called out, "what's up?"

Fyn was surprised to see her. Only yesterday, she'd been fighting to stay conscious, and now she was up and moving around again. "Cera?" he asked, "how are you feeling?"

"Not bad," Cera answered, "that new healer is outstanding. She had me back on my feet in no time."

"She must be the one who went to see Littlefoot. I wonder how he's doing."

"Probably fine," Cera said.

"So what are you doing, Fyn?" Ducky asked, "and who's that?" She pointed to Shael.

"Well, introductions first," Fyn said. He gestured to the Fin-Neck beside him, "this is Shael. She's new here, and I'm giving her a look around at the Valley."

"Hello, Shael," everyone greeted her warmly.

"Shael," Fyn continued, "these are my friends: Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike."

"How do you do?" Shael asked.

"We're going over to the Sheltering Grass, if you want to come," Fyn said to his friends.

"Ooh," Petrie said, "that sound like fun! Let's go!"

They crossed over into the tall grass. Fyn felt its blades tickling his legs as he passed through it. Even though he and his friends were much older now than they'd been when they started playing in this area, Fyn still had to marvel at the height of the grass. He'd never seen its equal anywhere else. He walked on, leading the way in silence. Sometimes he felt that in this place, it was best to just not talk at all, and listen to the wind as it rustled through the grass. He was taking in the scene and enjoying the beauty when he stepped into something sticky. Instantly, he called out to the others.

"Hold up- bubbling goo. I just stepped in some."

He was trying to free his foot when Shael walked up to him. "Bubbling goo? I've never heard of it."

Fyn was surprised. "Really? Never? You mean you've been with a traveling herd for this long and never heard of it?"

"Nope," Shael shook her head. "What is it?"

Fyn racked his brain, trying to decide how to best describe it.

"It's a lot like Sinking Sand, I guess, but a lot more messy. It's usually pretty easy to spot because its always bubbling, and in the Great Valley, it's not deep enough to trap any of us. At least, not here, anyway." He tried wrenching his foot out of the muck. It was definitely stuck, however, and he was not meeting success.

"Trouble, Fyn?" Cera smirked."

"No," Fyn said, straining, "I've- just- about- got it!" He gave a tremendous tug, and his foot was free. Unfortunately, Fyn's momentum carried him backwards, into yet another pit of bubbling goo. This time, he was covered.

"Sharptooth feet!" he swore under his breath, struggling to stand. His friends were in hysterics, and even Shael was trying hard not to laugh. Finally, she couldn't contain her amusement any longer, and joined the rest of Fyn's friends. Fyn finally freed himself, shakily walking over to everyone.

"And that's... what not to do," he said, trying to clear away the goo that was now covering him.

"Phew," Shael said, "that stuff stinks, too."

"Tell me about it," Fyn said, "and it won't come off for a while."

"Well, this is all very interesting," Cera said, glancing at the Bright Circle, which was already setting, "but I'm heading back for food. Have fun finishing your sightseeing."

"Okay," Fyn said, turning back to Shael. "I apologize in advance for the smell."

Shael chuckled, "oh, it's not that bad, really." Her expression, however, told another story.

"Now, for food," Fyn said, "there's someplace else we need to go."

…

Fyn led Shael up the Great Wall, showing her where to step when the path became difficult, and keeping an eye out for the occasional Sharptooth; one could never be too cautious.

"How are you doing back there?" Fyn practically yelled. His voice had to compete with the howling wind, now.

"Not bad," Shael said, "this is really fun!"

"Great, we're almost there!" Fyn climbed on. They had to reach the spot before the Bright Circle set. It was just up ahead, but the Bright Circle would be leaving the sky soon.

"I think you might want to move faster," he called back.

"What? Why?"

"You'll see when we get there. Trust me."

Within a few more steps, Shael saw Fyn go over the rim of a ledge. She followed, pushing herself over the rocks. When she'd caught her breath, she very nearly lost it again. Fyn had led them to the most beautiful spot in the Great Valley. It was a ridge overlooking the Great Wall, with a single tree standing alone next to the edge. From here she could see the Bright Circle dipping below the horizon, staining the land orange: Fyn's color, she realized, looking at him. It was truly a beautiful scene, but for some reason, she couldn't take her eyes off of Fyn, framed by the glow of the fading afternoon. There had been something about him, some feeling that had been lingering in the back of Shael's mind since the moment she first saw him that she couldn't place. He was certainly a handsome Longneck, but she'd met many like him in that respect during her travels. No, it was something _else, _she decided. Perhaps it was the way he presented himself: humble, considerate, and occasionally joking. She wanted desperately to be his friend, but was that all she wanted? She didn't know, instead thinking back to a conversation that she and her father once had.

"_Someday, Shael, you may even find a mate and have a family of your own."_

"_Oh please, Dad, I doubt it. I can do just fine on my own."_

"_I know you can, my daughter, but there may very well come a time in your life when you feel differently. Sooner or later, you feel a kind of hole, like something's missing. That missing piece is your mate."_

"_Really? Can we move on to something more interesting, like Sharpteeth?"_

She remembered her father smiling and shaking his head in the way she'd noticed that fathers do. He'd ended up telling her about Sharpteeth after all, and she'd all but forgotten her previous conversation until today. It had been one of the last times they'd spoken before...

She felt something welling up in her left eye. A tear perhaps? She was glad Fyn couldn't see. As the Bright Circle went down, she began to think: at this point, it _did _seem like something about her life was incomplete. Was Fyn to be the one to complete her? She didn't know, and gave up her mental struggle, opting to lie down on the ridge's edge, next to Fyn. Fyn, seeing her, did the same.

"You know, watching the Bright Circle go down isn't even the best part about being up here," he said, grabbing onto a branch of the tree next to them and pulling it down to Shael. She took a few leaves off, nodding graciously.

"What is?"

"Fyn gestured to the darkening sky above. "Look."  
Shael looked. Above was a sky full of stars materializing out of the blackness. They were so high above the Valley that looking at them felt like flying.

"My mother came up here once, right after we arrived at the Valley," Fyn said. "She told me that standing here was like walking among the clouds."

"I could definitely see why," Shael said, peering at the stars. Were her parents up there? She hoped so. Fyn saw her face, and its expression of longing.

"Something the matter?"

"No, I was just thinking," Shael sighed.

"What about?"

"My life before I came here."

Fyn settled back. "You know, I don't think you ever told me much about what happened before you came here. Care to tell me?"

"It's a lot to hear."

"We've got nothing but time," Fyn said.

"I was living a good life with my parents in the Mysterious Beyond," she began. "We lived in a place much like this, only smaller. There were other Fin Necks there, and everyone was happy and content." She closed her eyes, recalling the events. "One day, we were attacked by Sail Teeth. Are you familiar with them?"

Fyn nodded, recalling the vicious Sharpteeth that had invaded his home: the Grove in the Drylands.

"They drove most of us out, but in the confusion, I got separated from everyone. I never saw my parents again after that. To this day, I don't know if they are alive or not."

Fyn stirred uncomfortably. Something about her story made him uneasy, but he listened on.

"When the fighting had subsided, I escaped, fleeing into the Mysterious Beyond. I wandered for days, and I was on the verge of death before Bron found me. He was returning from a place Longnecks call the Deeplands, where he'd helped save the Bright Circle. He took me in, and I grew up in his herd, traveling from place to place."

"But if you were in Bron's herd," Fyn said, "then why haven't I seen you before? I met his herd out in the Mysterious Beyond, once."

Shael shrugged, "I didn't always travel with the herd. Sometimes I struck out on my own, but I always returned to Bron."

Fyn had one final question to ask, and he feared the answer. "This place where you lived- was it a grove, somewhere out in the Drylands?"

"Yes, it was."

"And did the Sail Teeth attack when the Bright Circle fell?"

Shael's face registered surprise. "Yes, but how do you know that?"

Fyn's head sunk "Because I was there, too."

Shael was speechless.

"The adults tried to send in someone after the attack, to find any survivors, but the Grove was too dangerous. I barely made it out."

"What about my parents?" Shael asked.

"I don't know," Fyn said, shaking his head.

"_I was in there!" _Shael suddenly burst out, _"I was alive, and no one came to find me!"_

"Shael, there was nothing we could have-"

"You could have sent someone in. Instead, everyone was a coward! No one wanted to go back, to try to save one more life!" She was crying forcefully, now. "I almost died, my parents probably _did _die, because no one had the courage to help!"

"That's not true!" Fyn yelled back, "my family did everything they could, as did everyone else!"

"They abandoned me, just like you'll abandon me, too!"

"What?" Fyn asked.

"I thought I could count on you as a friend, but now I see that you're just a self-serving coward who can't risk himself to help another, just like everyone else in that herd. My family is gone because of them- because of _you!" _She fled back down the path, crying beyond control, leaving Fyn alone on the ridge, the stars his only companions.

**Finally, Chapter 4 is here, despite school finals and packing for a trip to NC. Of course, since this is a YF-23ace story, nothing can happen easily for the main characters. It will be interesting for me to see just how the rest of this plays out (I know, of course, but the characters seem to write an awful lot of the story without former planning). **

**Until next time,**

**-YF **


	5. Chapter 5: The Healer

_Chapter 5: The Healer_

Today, Littlefoot was feeling much better. He was up on his feet, and his chest didn't hurt quite as much. He'd been surprised not to see Fyn when he woke up. Now, he was wandering around his friend's nest, searching.

"Fyn!" he called out, for the fourth time, "Fyn, where are you?" Again, he was met with silence.

"_Oh well," _Littlefoot thought, _"he's probably already out enjoying the day. Might as well wait for Taria to come back." _

He settled back down into a comfortable position when he spotted a streak of orange moving towards him. It was Fyn. Relieved, he stood and ran to him.

"Where have you been? I've been calling for you all morning!"

"Around," Fyn grumbled. Littlefoot could see that he looked tired, and certainly not in the best of moods.

"Well, I'm feeling better, now. You won't have to share your nest anymore after today!"

Fyn shrugged.

"Fyn, What's wrong? Did you sleep at all?"

"No."

Littlefoot frowned. His friend usually wasn't like this in the morning.

"Come on, Fyn, cheer up a bit. Taria's going to be back today."

"Well, that's just great for you, isn't it?"

Now Littlefoot knew something was wrong. He decided to ask a more personal question.

"Was it Shael? Did something happen?"

Fyn sighed. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." Before he could speak again, Taria appeared, walking towards Littlefoot.

"Hello," she said, pleasantly.

"Hi," Littlefoot responded. Fyn said nothing.

"You're here early today," Littlefoot said.

"Well, we have a bit of a walk ahead of us. I see you're back on your feet, so this'll work out perfectly. Your friend is welcome to come along, too, if he wants. Afterwards, I can probably show you a thing or two about healing."

Fyn was surprised, temporarily forgetting his sorrow. "Healing? I didn't know you had an interest in healing," he said to Littlefoot.

"I never really spoke about it much," Littlefoot replied, "I just never thought any of you would be interested."

"A new surprise every day," Fyn said, shaking his head in amazement as they began to walk, following Taria.

The tan Longneck led them deep into the Great Valley, towards the Smoking Mountain. Littlefoot was intrigued; he'd never been in this part of the Valley before.

"Where are we going?" he asked. Even Fyn seemed confused.

"You'll see," Taria answered simply.

"You mean you've never been here before?" Fyn asked.

"Never. The others and I tended to stay away from the Smoking Mountain, for obvious reasons."

Fyn nodded. Littlefoot was happy to see that their current situation seemed to be distracting him from his troubles. This little outing would be good for him. Up ahead, Taria ducked into a wide, tall cave. Fyn and Littlefoot followed her in. They were greeted by an awe-inspiring sight: the cave was huge on the inside, even bigger than the Cave of Many Voices, a cavern that Littlefoot and his friends found when they were kids. A few large holes in the ceiling let in light from outside, and the walls were studded with Shiny Stones, which reflected the light wonderfully. In the middle of all of this was a small pool. The water within was clear, and bubbled. Taria stopped by it.

"Well," she said, "climb in."

"Into _that?" _Littlefoot asked, "is it safe?"

"Perfectly," she reassured him.

Littlefoot stepped forward and into the water. Instantly, he was engulfed in warm, bubbling water.

"Wow," he said, "that's comfortable. What does it do?"

"It relaxes you, and takes the tightness and pain out of your body. It helps you heal faster."

"Wow," Littlefoot said again.

"I'm going to get a few things, but I'll be right back. Your friend can look after you." She paused, looking at the Fin Neck next to Littlefoot. "I almost forgot, what's your name?"

"Fyn," he said, quietly.

"Neat." She ducked out of the cave. "I'll be right back."

"Take your time," Littlefoot said, settling into his comfortable bath.

"We really should have come down here more often," he added, talking to Fyn.

"Hm," was Fyn's response.

"Alright, we're alone, now. What's the matter?"

Fyn walked over to Littlefoot and sat down next to the pool. "It's pretty complicated."  
"Try me."

"Last night, Shael and I had a disagreement."

Littlefoot winced. "What about?"

Fyn took a deep breath. "When I escaped from the grove with my family, we'd all thought everyone else was either out of danger, with us, or dead at the claws of the Sharpteeth when we made the decision to leave our home. Shael, as it turns out, was part of my herd."

"And you've never met her before now?" Littlefoot asked. "How?" Then the answer hit him.

"Oh."

"Yeah, we left while Shael was still trapped in the forest by the Sail Teeth."

He shook his head in disgust, and suddenly brought his foot crashing into the ground with a tremendous smash.

"_We never even found out if her parents survived!"_

"Hold on, Fyn," Littlefoot said, "you can't blame yourself for this."

"Then why do I feel like it was my fault? I could have told my parents that more dinosaurs were in the grove."

"Did you _know _that there were more dinosaurs alive?"

"Well, no," Fyn said, "but-"

"Then why do you insist this was your fault?"

"I don't know. I just have no idea what to do right now. She hates me."

Taria walked in at that moment, with more plants for Littlefoot. She placed them in front of him, ground them up, as usual, and offered them to him. Littlefoot ate quickly.

"Pardon me for listening in," Taria said to Fyn, "but I couldn't help noticing you're in a bit of trouble."

"A bit?" Fyn snorted, "if that was all..."

"Well, they don't call me a healer for nothing. Maybe I can help."

"I'm not so sure," Fyn said.

"There's no harm in trying," Littlefoot said through a mouthful of plant matter, "just tell her what you told me."

Fyn told his story to Taria, leaving out nothing. When he was finished, Taria thought for a moment.

"Well, I honestly don't think she's angry at you."

Fyn looked up, "really?"

Taria nodded. "Really. I think she needs a friend, someone to comfort her right now."

"But she already told me that she doesn't want me as a friend right now."

"She may have said that, but I don't think that's what she _meant. _Deep down, I think what's really got her upset is that you are the evidence that her parents aren't alive anymore. She needs you to help her leave the past behind."

"Are you sure?" Fyn asked.

"To the best of my ability."

Fyn turned and headed for the exit. "Thank you so much. Sorry I'm leaving so early, but I have a lot to think about."

"No problem," Taria said. Then, before Fyn was completely out of earshot, she added "by the way, the Day of Mates is in two days. That might be your best chance."

"Thanks!" Fyn said, from outside the cave, "I need to remember that."

Taria turned back to Littlefoot. "You have good friends."

Littlefoot nodded. "I do, and you are an excellent healer."

Taria smiled, confused. "What brought that compliment out?"

Littlefoot shrugged, "one good comment deserves another in return."

Taria laughed. "So are you planning on going to the Day of Mates?"

"Well, I'm not sure, yet."  
"Not sure? How could you not be sure about something like this? I'm going."

Littlefoot climbed out of his pool. "You see, there's someone who's going to be there, but I don't think she really cares if I'm there or not."

"Oh? Funny, I'm in the same predicament, but I've still decided to go, anyway."

"Well, that's two of us, then."

"You're going after all?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about something my dad told me: this whole situation might be challenging, but it's something I need to work at, not something that happens overnight."

"Your dad's smart," Taria said, "he always has been."

"True enough," Littlefoot said. Then, seeing an opportunity, he added, "well, if we'll be going separate ways on the Day of Mates, perhaps you wouldn't mind my treating you to a Treestar feast tonight."

Taria smiled faintly, "I'd like that."

"Great," Littlefoot said, staring into her eyes. He thought he saw something in her expression. Hopefulness? Regret? He really couldn't tell; females were too hard to read.

"I'll meet you back here when the Bright Circle sets," Littlefoot said, "and we'll go from there."

"Sounds fine to me," Taria said. Suddenly the cave shook slightly.

"What was that?" Littlefoot asked.

Taria looked worried. "Probably nothing," she said, "just an Earthshake."

Her face told another story, however. She seemed worried.

"Listen, Littlefoot," Taria said, "if we meet here later, I want to check out something."

"Sure," Littlefoot said, "it'd make dinner a whole lot more interesting."

"Perfect," Taria said, "See you later, Littlefoot." As she and Littlefoot went their separate ways, Littlefoot had a lot on his mind, but at the forefront of his thoughts was a single question: what had spooked Taria so much about the Earthshake? He went back to his nest, troubling over the question all the way. Something wasn't right, here, and tonight, he and Taria would find out together.

…

They met in the fading light of the day, back at the cave. Littlefoot was full of questions.

"Okay," he said to Taria, "what's got you so worried?"

She looked up at the Smoking Mountain, worriedly. "Right now, nothing I can prove, but we need to get closer to the Smoking Mountain to find out." She began to walk toward the ominous, dark mountain.

"Wait up," Littlefoot said, "how about food first?"

"We'll eat afterwards. This might be serious, if I'm right." There was another tremor, and the two fought for balance.

"Is it the Smoking Mountain?" Littlefoot asked.

"Yes, I think it is, and if we don't act soon, something bad might happen."

As they came closer to the mountain, plants became more sparse, and the ground underfoot became hotter. Steam erupted from cracks, sometimes violently. All of this was taken into consideration by Taria. Finally, she stopped at a large crack in the ground which was venting steam loudly, and at a rapid rate.

"This is bad," she said.

"What's bad?" Littlefoot asked.

She nodded toward the crack, still venting. "The Smoking Mountain's going to erupt soon, violently."

"How can you be sure?"

"I've seen signs like this before, and they've never lied. At this rate, it could erupt as soon as two days from now."

"Two days?" Littlefoot said, horror dawning on him, "but that's-"

"The Day of Mates, right. Everyone will be out in the open when it happens."

"Why do these things always happen in the most inconvenient times?" Littlefoot asked himself.

"What do you mean?"

Littlefoot groaned, "it just seems like every time something bad happens to the Valley, it happens at the worst possible moment."

"Hm," Taria said, "well if the Smoking Mountain erupts the way it's going to now, there may not even _be _a Great Valley left."

Littlefoot thought back to something Fyn had once said. Labon had told him that, a long time ago, the Smoking Mountain had erupted and drastically changed the terrain of the Great Valley. If it were to happen again, it made sense to assume the same thing could happen.

"Is there any way to stop it?" he asked.

"As a matter of fact, there is, but we'll need help."

Littlefoot was relieved. "My friends will help us."

"Tomorrow, then, we need to get their help. I'll be back up here, checking things out."

Littlefoot nodded as the two started back to the Valley. "You hungry?" Taria shook her head. "Me neither," Littlefoot said. "Kind of an interesting dat- uh, dinner."

Taria laughed and nodded. "That it was." They stopped, under the light of the Night Circle. It was time for them to get back to their nests, but Taria had something to say first.

"You know, you're not like a lot of Longnecks I've met."

"Oh?" Littlefoot asked, "how so?"

"Well, you're actually interested in things like healing and how the Smoking Mountain works. Most males don't find that stuff interesting."

"I guess I'm not most males, then," Littlefoot said.

Taria smiled, and looked away, shyly, then looked back to Littlefoot.

"Thanks for the night," she said, "one way or another, I'll always remember it."

"No problem," Littlefoot said, "I enjoyed it. Well, apart from the doom and destruction part."

Taria laughed, then, without warning, touched her muzzle to Littlefoot's, a dinosaur's kiss. "Remember me after the Day of Mates is done, okay? Regardless of what happens."

Littlefoot was almost speechless. Finally, he spoke. "I will."

Taria slipped away into the night, her bright smile fading into the trees. Littlefoot stood still as a stone. She had touched him again, this time on her own accord! He nearly flew back to his nest. She'd given him hope, hope that there was still a chance for him at the Day of Mates. Tomorrow, he knew, would be the last day he'd have to prove himself to her before that fateful day arrived. He found his nest, and collapsed on the ground, next to his grandparents. Surrounded by the comfort of finally being home and the joy of knowing all was not lost, he slept well.

**So now, I've established Taria as a bit of a "scientist." Perhaps not a bad match for inquisitive Littlefoot? We'll see...**


	6. Chapter 6: The Fighter

_Chapter 6: The Fighter_

Fyn woke early, trying to decide how best to approach Shael. In his mind, he was running through dozens of scenarios as he paced, anxiously, none of which actually ended well. He knew, for example, that simply walking up and saying "hello" probably wouldn't be the best option. Perhaps if he were armored, like a Clubtail...

"_No," _he decided, _"'hello' is not going to work."_

He mentally removed that option from his list. The next one he considered was apologizing. Not a bad option, but the next one, he felt, was better. Perhaps he could offer her help in dealing with her troubles. It wouldn't look like he was trying to force himself back into her life, and it would be an innocent offer. Fyn decided to stick with the final option, and proceeded to try to figure out where she might have gone. He hadn't seen her since the night they fought.

"_Bron would know," _he thought, heading for Littlefoot's father's nest. On the way, he was carefully considering his phrasing.

"Hey," he said as if speaking to Shael as he tromped through the forest, "I know you're going through a lot right now, but you don't have to do it alone... No, too obvious."

He walked on, as a second starter came to mind. "I'm really sorry about your loss. Your parents must have been great. No way, definitely hits a sore spot." He groaned, talking to himself.

"I'll never get this figured out."

Up ahead, he saw Bron, grazing as he always did at this time of day. He acknowledged Fyn as he approached.

"Fine day to you, Fyn."

"And to you as well."

"Can I help you with something?"

"As a matter of fact," Fyn said, clearing his throat, "you might be able to."

"Well ask away, and you may get an answer."

"Do you know where Shael is?"

The great Longneck considered this for a moment. "The last time I saw her, she was in those trees," he said, nodding towards a small cluster of green growth in the near distance. "That's where I'd look for her."

"Great," Fyn said, "thanks."

"The Day of Mates is coming soon," Bron said to Fyn's fast-disappearing tail.

"I know," Fyn called back, "that's what I'm counting on."

Fyn raced for the trees, faster than he'd ever run before. Wind whistled through his sails, and once again, he felt the sensation of flying.

"_Like walking among the clouds," _he thought to himself, _"oh the irony."_

"Hey, Fyn! Where you headed?"

Fyn looked up. Petrie had just swooped down next to him.

"Petrie, what's up?"

"Well... _me _up," Petrie said.

Fyn laughed. "I guess you have a point there."

"So where you going?"

"Well," Fyn said, "it's kind of a personal thing."

"Oh, that okay, then. Me not ask."

"Thanks, Petrie," said Fyn, "I appreciate that."

Petrie appeared to be trying to remember something, then snapped his small fingers when he finally figured it out.

"Oh, that right! Me supposed to tell you something."

"What's that?" Fyn asked.

"Littlefoot told me to get you. He said it important," the Flyer said, enthusiastically.

"Important, eh?" Fyn frowned, slightly. "Can he wait until I'm done?"

Petrie shrugged, "I'll tell him, but he not seem like he in a waiting mood."

"Sure thing, Petrie. Thanks."

"No problem," the Flyer said, shooting back up into the air. Fyn couldn't help but wonder why Littlefoot had sent Petrie for him. Littlefoot knew that he'd be trying to make amends with Shael today, didn't he? Fyn didn't know, but he still had a mission to accomplish. He continued on, into the trees, engulfed by their silence. He could see why Shael had headed here. It was peaceful, and the right spot to partake in some personal reflection. He softened his footsteps. The last thing he wanted to do was alert her and have her run away before he could even speak. He crept through the forest, listening for some sound to indicate her presence. At first, all he could hear was the rustling of the leaves, the clicking and chattering of small animals, and his own footfalls, but eventually, another sound registered: someone crying softly. It was Shael, Fyn knew. She was here, after all. He peered ahead, through the brush and finally saw a glimpse of blue among the trees. Shael was sitting next to a pond, her head bent to the water's surface, weeping. Fyn felt a pang of guilt. Had he done this to her? He swallowed. This would be harder than facing a whole pack of Sharpteeth. He was about to walk in, when he caught himself.

"_I can't do this,"_ he thought to himself.

"_Yes you can," _another part of his brain said.

"_No way, going in there is a deathwish!"_

"_Then consider who you're going in there for. Is it yourself, or her?"_

Fyn thought about this. Who had he really been trying to help in doing this?

"_Her," _he decided. He crossed through the remaining undergrowth to stand next to Shael. The blue Fin-Neck looked up.

"You. I should have known. You have no right to be here."

"Shael, please," Fyn said, standing next to her, "I'm only here to help. What's wrong?"

"You know very well what's wrong."

"Yes, I do."

"Then why are you still here?"

Fyn took a deep breath. His next phrase was going to be tricky."Because I don't think I'm the problem."

Shael glared at him. "What?" she hissed. "You dare say that you're _not _the problem?"

"I could be wrong," Fyn said, "and if I am, then I apologize with all my heart, but I've never lived to cause others pain. My sole wish is to help, just like I want to help you right now."

"If you think that you can just try to get back into a relationship-" she caught herself, "-that never even existed, you can think again!"

"That's not my goal," Fyn said. "All I see beside me is a suffering dinosaur, and I want to do my best to help."

Shael's breathing slowed and her gaze softened. She began to cry again, softly, and spoke.

"Do you know why I attacked you the other night?"

Fyn shrugged, "you felt I was at fault for what happened at the grove. I can understand that, and I'll even take the blame for it. I could have-"

"No, that's not it. It's because when I talked to you, I felt like I could finally open myself, release the emotions I've been concealing for so long. I _cried _that night, Fyn. I haven't done that for seasons, now, and it made me feel _weak. _Talking to you made me feel weak. Weakness is a killer out in the Mysterious Beyond, and I'd trained myself to avoid it. When I could finally let my feelings out... it was too much for me. I just felt terrible and needed someone to blame, some _explanation _for what was happening to me. Really, _I _should be apologizing to _you._"

Fyn was silent. He'd never considered her side of the story to be like this. He'd just assumed she was upset about what had happened at the grove. Obviously, there was a lot more going on than he could possibly fathom.

"You know," Fyn said, quietly, "sometimes we need times like these, where we can just let ourselves go. There's nothing you need to apologize for. Just know that I'll always be here if you need someone to talk to."

Shael sniffed. "Thanks. I'm glad you still trust me."

"Friends again?" Fyn asked.

Shael began to answer, but before she could speak, Littlefoot burst through the trees.

"There you are!" he said, "I've been looking everywhere for you two. Follow me right now, it's urgent."

Shael looked at Fyn, "we can finish this later."

Fyn nodded, "agreed." He looked up to Littlefoot. "Where to?"

"The Smoking Mountain," Littlefoot answered, without hesitation, "let's go!"

The two Fin-Necks followed Littlefoot to the trees, wondering why he'd called upon them so urgently.

…

Littlefoot led Fyn and Shael high up onto the Smoking Mountain's slope. Everyone else, including Taria, was waiting for them when they arrived.

"Finally," Cera said, "the Great Valley's only in _danger, _but I'm sure it can wait."

"What?" Fyn said, "in danger? What do you mean?"

"Allow me to explain," Taria said, stepping forward.

"Inside the Smoking Mountain is Flowing Fire, right?"

"Right," Fyn nodded.

"Okay, well there comes a time when all of that Flowing Fire builds up and pushes against the side of the Smoking Mountain. That's why we see all of this... stuff," she gestured to the steam shooting out of a crack next to her. "Try to guess what happens when that Flowing Fire pushes too hard for the outside rock to handle."

Fyn thought. "Well, I'd guess it would erupt, but not like it usually does. It would be pretty violent."

"Right," Taria said, rolling a small berry in front of everyone. She gently began to push down on one side, and the other side of the small fruit bulged until it burst apart, sending juice everywhere. She'd made her point clear.

"Just like that," she said, to clarify.

"Well, you wouldn't have called us here if it couldn't be stopped," said Shael.

"Right, Shael. It _can _be stopped. If, for example, we were to give that Flowing Fire another way to go before the eruption..."

"You mean like making a hole in the Smoking Mountain?" Fyn asked.

"Precisely."

"But there would still be an eruption," Shael said, "that Flowing Fire would have to go _somewhere_."

"Again, correct, but the eruption would be nowhere near as serious as it would be if it happened on its own."

"So we need to break a hole in the Smoking Mountain," Fyn said.

"Yep," Cera said, "and breaking things is my specialty."

"Actually, if we do this right, we won't have to work much at all," Taria said. "I've found what I think is the thinnest spot on the Smoking Mountain. If we can create a rockslide, then that may be our chance to break through."

Fyn was impressed, "smart plan. I like it. When will we do it?"

"Tomorrow," Taria said, "which leaves us with two options: do we tell our elders, or let them enjoy the Day of Mates without the fear of being turned to ash?"

Everyone was split on this choice.

"I say we tell them," Littlefoot said, "if things go wrong, we need to have an escape plan."

"Why worry them?" Cera countered, "it sounds like we have everything under control,"

"True," Fyn said, "we wouldn't want to start a panic."

"I think Littlefoot's right," Shael said, "we need to be sure we have a backup plan."

"Me agree with Littlefoot, too," Petrie said.

Ducky spoke. "Well I agree with Fyn and Cera. Panic is bad, it is, it is, especially if nothing happens."

"Spike can't talk," Cera said, "he doesn't count."

"Then it's down to you, Taria," Littlefoot said. "What should we do?"

Taria clenched her teeth. She hated making tough choices like these.

"Maybe if we just told Littlefoot's grandparents..."

"It's settled, then," Littlefoot said. "We'll talk to them today."

Fyn looked at Shael, "I'm sorry. We'll have to postpone our talk."

"It's fine," Shael said, "we'll have plenty of time to work things out when this is all over."

"Right," Fyn said. At least he could count on Shael to be honest. As they walked back down to the Valley, he thought about the Fin-Neck girl. She was a fighter, he decided, a natural-born defender who was trained to block out pain, and who radiated toughness. Like any fighter, she just needed backup now and then. He smiled. Maybe she wasn't so hard to understand after all.

…

"Are you sure?"

Littlefoot had just told his grandfather about Taria's discovery of the Smoking Mountain's impending eruption. Grandpa Longneck, understandably, was quite skeptical. After all, the Smoking Mountain hadn't seriously erupted for hundreds of seasons.

"I'm very sure," Littlefoot said, "and I trust Taria."

"But if you do this, completely on a possibility, mind you, and a very slim one at that, you'll miss the Day of Mates."

Littlefoot shrugged, "it can't be helped. We have to stop the Smoking Mountain. If it does erupt-"

"Why not just send others to do it; those who won't be attending the Day of Mates?"

"Because it was my friends and I who discovered this, and it's our responsibility as adults to defend this Valley from everything, including itself. Taria's the only one of us who really knows how the Smoking Mountain works. Trust me, you need to let me do this."

Grandpa Longneck sighed. "I suppose I don't have much choice in this matter. You're right, as usual, Littlefoot. Just promise me you'll stay as safe as possible."

"I will," Littlefoot said.

"Good, you're performing a noble task. I'm proud to see that you're willing to risk so much for so many."

"It's what must be done," Littlefoot said simply.

"So it is," Grandpa Longneck said. They bid each other a good night, and Littlefoot retreated to his nest, passing Bron, who was already asleep, on the way. He hoped he could stay safe tomorrow, to be able to come back to his father. Really, he knew, this wouldn't even be a particularly dangerous task, but something at the back of his mind was in doubt. He slept restlessly, that night, and his sleep stories were filled with images of the Smoking Mountain, and his friend, who, though she didn't know it, was also the goal of his love, Taria. He could see in his mind's eye thick black smoke pouring out of the Smoking Mountain, which had been cut in half in size by the force of the eruption. Everywhere around it, trees were leveled, and he could see entire sections of the Great Wall collapsed, with others crumbling away. Most eerie, however, was the grey blanket of ash that covered everything. Littlefoot knew that this was an image of what might happen if they failed. In his sleep story, he and Taria were standing on the Great Wall, observing the damage. Taria turned to him and spoke one phrase which haunted him throughout the night.

"If you really loved me, you would have prevented this."

Littlefoot tossed and turned as the sleep story repeated over and over in his mind. They would have to act tomorrow. Taria depended on it. _Everything_ depended on it.

**Whoa, chills. At least, that's how I felt when writing that second-to-last line. Time is ticking away. Will the dinosaurs avert almost certain destruction? Will things ever work out for Fyn and Shael? And finally, will Littlefoot and Taria ever be together, or will they go their separate ways? All will be revealed soon...**


	7. Chapter 7: How to Make Friends and

_Chapter 7: How to Make Friends and Influence Volcanoes_

The friends met each other in the middle of the Valley, early the next morning.

"Ready?" Taria asked the group, anxiously.

The others nodded assent. It was time. They would either prevent a disaster today or die in the attempt. Littlefoot looked at Taria, still remembering what she said to him in his sleep story last night.

"_If you really loved me, you would have prevented this."_

"Something wrong, Littlefoot?" Taria asked. Littlefoot snapped out of his reflections, coming back to his senses.

"What? Oh, no. I'm fine."

"Stay focused," Taria said, looking Littlefoot straight in the eyes, "There's no room for mistakes today."

"I will," Littlefoot reassured her, "don't worry."

Taria looked to the rest of the group. "Let's go." They set off through the Valley, heading for the Smoking Mountain. As they walked, Fyn observed Shael. As he watched her, he was once again amazed at her sheer beauty. He was surprised no one else had taken her as a mate, yet. Then he realized that today would be the first time she'd actually be eligible for a mate. If they managed to return in time for the Day of Mates, Fyn would have a lot of competition for her. He sighed. The way things between them had been going, he was lucky to still be a friend. His chances of being her mate were probably ruined. He looked at Littlefoot, walking next to Taria.

"_Those two," _he thought, _"were made for each other. They'll probably have no problems accepting each other as mates."_

His friend was lucky, and Fyn felt somewhat jealous that everything so far had gone well for him. He suddenly reprimanded himself. This was not the time or place to think about relationships. There was work to be done; work that demanded all of his concentration. He could consider other issues later.

They slipped through the dawn, silently, so as to avoid waking anyone else. Littlefoot's grandparents would inform them of the gang's task today in time. Right now, there was no need for anyone else to know. Fyn could smell the dew in the air. It soothed his lungs and helped clear his mind. Its coolness also felt good on his feet. He'd been through a lot in the past few days. Maybe when this task was complete, he could settle down for a while. He looked forward. The Smoking Mountain was just ahead.

Taria led them up a precarious path, leading to a rocky patch halfway up the Smoking Mountain.

"This is it," she said.

"Right," Cera said, where do we start?" The Bright Circle had risen, and they could see dinosaurs gathering in the Valley below for the Day of Mates.

Taria examined some of the rocks, which stretched farther up the mountain.

"Here's what I'm thinking so far: the weak spot is right below us, right? So if we started our rockslide here, we should be able to get this place unstable enough to erupt."

"Yeah, but we'll be right here when it happens," Littlefoot said.

"I've already thought of that. We should be outside of any danger. At the worst, we might feel a bit of a shake."

"Well, if you say so..." Littlefoot didn't sound entirely convinced.

"Relax," Taria said, "I've thought all of this through."

Cera spoke. "Enough talk. What do you need me to do?"

Taria looked back up the mountain, towards a pile of loose boulders.

"I need you and Spike up there. Look for a weak boulder somewhere. We'll need a good, strong rockslide."

Cera nodded. "On it. Come on, Spike." The two moved up towards the rocks, scouting immediately for the right spot.

"Petrie," Taria turned to the Flyer, "I need you in the sky. We need an eye above us, to monitor the whole process."

"Me ready!" Petrie opened his wings and caught a draft of wind, soaring into the air majestically.

Taria turned her attention to everyone that was left: Littlefoot, Fyn, Ducky, and Shael. "The five of us are going to help the smaller rockslides along once the big ones get started. The more force we have, the better.

"Excellent," Shael said, "let's split up and find our spots."

They all moved off in separate directions. Fyn chose a small ledge which was loosely balanced on a cluster of rocks. He checked it out, making sure the ledge was unstable, and could tip at a moment's notice. Reassured that the ledge was, in fact, very capable of tipping, he sat back to wait, watching everyone else. He could see Cera and Spike high up, still looking for the best spot to start their push, and Shael was to his right. He decided to focus on her. She was looking at her own pile of rocks. Suddenly, she looked up, and looked back at Fyn. Fyn quickly averted his gaze, but he was almost certain she'd seen him looking at her. After a while passed, he lifted his head back up and saw that she'd gone back to her business. The Bright Circle was now high in the sky, and up here without trees for shade, it was getting hot. Fyn didn't mind, hot temperatures suited him, but Littlefoot and the others were in for a rough day if this persisted, he thought, settling down.

Littlefoot _had _noticed the heat. He and Shael had gone to a different part of the mountain, and had found a boulder large enough to require their combined strength to tip it. Littlefoot was panting, and heat exhaustion was setting in, but he had to stay ready for the moment when Cera gave the "ready" call. He decided to talk to Taria, to pass the time.

"So, what do you think of the Great Valley so far?" he asked with a grin.

"It's certainly... interesting. Definitely not a bad place for me to finally settle down, though."

"Excited about the Day of Mates?"

"Yeah, I just hope the dinosaur I'm waiting for shows up."

Littlefoot's heart seemed to skip a beat. She wasn't waiting for _him, _that much was clear.

"I hope so, too. I want you to be happy."

Taria didn't notice his words, however. Cera and Spike had finally located a weak point, and Cera had called down the slope, informing everyone that it was time. Taria relayed the message to everyone.

"Listen up! When I give the signal, Cera and Spike will start the rockslide. Then, when the rocks are falling, start your own slides. We should be able to get this on the first try."

Everyone understood. Taria looked back to Cera.

"Ready when you are."

Cera nodded.

"_Now!" _Taria said.

Cera and Spike groaned as they pushed their massive boulder with all of their might. Slowly, it began to move onto some smaller, more slippery rocks, and its speed increased. Soon, Cera and Spike released it, and it began to roll away by itself, slowly gaining momentum. Littlefoot watched in awe as the massive stone picked up speed, smashing through other rocks and creating what Littlefoot could only describe as a rocky version of the Thundering Falls. As the mass approached, he looked to Taria.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

They nodded, their signal to begin, and pushed against their rock. It started rolling, forming a smaller rockslide which added to the main slide. They stepped back, and watched the others do the same. Taria could see the weak spot as the rocks approached: a sandy area with no protection from such an unstoppable force. The fact that it angled towards the oncoming rocks would only add to the force at which they hit. She marveled at the power of their creation. The vibrations caused by the slide were shaking her very teeth, and anything in the way was instantly obliterated. As she watched, the rocks smashed into the weak point, seeming to shake the entire mountain. They all watched, in breathless silence. Nothing was happening.

Littlefoot whispered, "I think we need to try agai-"

"Shh." Taria cut him off. She thought she could hear something: a low, rumbling, gurgling noise.

"Everyone stand back," she said, "I think its coming."

Suddenly, the ground buckled skyward, knocking everyone down. Littlefoot watched in shock and amazement as the mountain began to crack at the weak spot. The shaking had grown louder, and more violent.

"Are you sure this is safe?" he asked Taria.

"It's safer than trying to get past it down to the Valley!" She yelled over the clamor.

Without warning, there was an ear-splitting crash, and Flowing Fire shot into the sky, followed by a booming sound that shook all of the dinosaurs to the core. The force of the eruption knocked everyone back. A few even lost their footing and fell.

"A little shaking, huh?" Littlefoot asked Taria.

Taria was at a loss for words. All she could look at was the thick, black cloud of smoke and fire pouring out over the Mysterious Beyond. So far, everything was going according to plan.

…

Fyn was close to the eruption when it happened, and he braced himself, planting his feet firmly into the ground to stay upright. He was looking at Shael to make sure she was safe, when the first shock hit. Shael had been unprepared and was flung backwards, falling over. She looked fine, but Fyn could see she wasn't getting up. Another rockslide started, farther up the mountain. It was headed straight for Shael. With complete disregard to his own safety, Fyn left his spot, running and sliding down the mountain towards Shael. By now, bits of flaming debris were raining down everywhere, sending shards of stone into the air when they hit. Fyn paid no heed, even continuing forward when one hit him in the flank. Shael still wasn't moving, and he had to get her out of the way of the rockslide.

"Shael!" he yelled, rushing to her side. Her eyes were closed.

"Shael, wake up! Can you hear me?"

She groaned, opening her eyes slowly.

"Fyn?"

"We need to get to safety. Can you walk?"

Shael looked back at the approaching rockslide.  
"I can try." She stood up, shakily, balanced by Fyn. They began to move down the mountain, but the rocks were approaching fast.

"We're not going to make it," Fyn said, under his breath. He began to look for temporary shelter. Finally, he spotted a small, shallow cave.

"_That'll have to do," _he thought. The rocks were almost upon them, now. Acting quickly, he pushed Shael in, and dove after her, narrowly missing the rocks thundering by above. He shielded her from the debris with his body, though most of the rocks simply passed over, missing him. He watched as they began to block up the cave entrance.

"_No matter," _he thought, _"I'll just break out."_

When the shaking subsided, he looked, out of breath, back to Shael.

"You came back for me," she whispered.

Fyn nodded, "and I always will."

…

Back on the mountain's surface, Fyn and Taria were staring in awe at what they and the others had done. The Great Valley was safe, and the Smoking Mountain was docile once again.

"We did it," Taria said, turning to Littlefoot.

Littlefoot looked into her green eyes, savoring them. "We did," he said softly. Without a thought, the two moved closer, about to touch muzzles, when Littlefoot suddenly recoiled.

"I'm sorry. I forgot someone was waiting for you back at the Day of Mates."

"Oh Littlefoot," Taria said, "can't you see? _You _were the one I was always expecting."

"Me? But-"

"I was good enough at hiding it, I guess, that I had you fooled. Now the secret's out."

Littlefoot smiled. "What a coincidence. You see, _I _was waiting to see if _you _would be at the Day of Mates."

"Well, then, I guess there's no point in pretending any longer," Taria said. "I love you, Littlefoot."

"And I love you, Taria." They moved closer, and with the Valley behind them, finally truly kissed, tenderly touching their muzzles together.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Cera said, watching from farther up the mountain.

Petrie dove down, interrupting them.

"Littlefoot, Taria! Fyn and Shael trapped!"

"Trapped? How?"

"Rockslide fall on them. They stuck!" Petrie pointed downslope, and Littlefoot saw a mound of boulders piled up on the mountainside.

"We can't move that alone. We need help!"

Littlefoot rushed down to the rock pile, his friends close behind.

"Don't worry," he said, hoping Fyn and Shael could hear him, "We're going for help."

He looked worriedly up at the rocks. It would take a _lot _of help to get this moved.

…

After resting briefly to regain his strength, Fyn decided it was time to break free.

"Hold on," he said to Shael, "we'll be out of here soon." He stepped up to the rocks, readied his tail, and swung. His tail glanced off of the stones, sending pain shooting up Fyn's body.

"That's not going to work," he groaned through teeth clenched against the pain. He decided to try a different approach, ramming the rocks repeatedly. Still, nothing happened.

"No!" he yelled, "not like this! Not now!"

"Fyn," Shael's voice said softly from the back of the cave, "everything's alright."

Fyn panted, but stopped his exertions, looking back to Shael. "I need to get you out of here."

"I'm not so sure we _can _get out of here."

"Don't say that! We _can't_ give up now!"

Shael stepped towards Fyn. "Just listen to me, now. There's something I have to say." She lay down on the cave floor, and Fyn followed.

"When I first saw you, I thought I recognized you. I actually remembered you from my childhood. I didn't want to say anything, but I'd always looked up to you back in the grove. When we fought the other night, I thought I'd lost you forever. The truth is, I-"

She saw Fyn and stopped, reconsidering her words, "I trust you, Fyn, and for me, that's a lot. I've never trusted anyone else as much in my life."

"Thank you," Fyn said, "I'm glad to have earned your trust."

He laid his head down on the cold stones beneath him. Would he truly die in here, without ever having told Shael his true feelings for her?

Shael suddenly shivered. "It's so cold in here," she whispered, her voice becoming raspier. Fyn knew the air in here wouldn't last much longer, and Shael wasn't used to cold climates. He moved in closer, using his own body heat to warm her.

"Stay with me, Shael, stay with me." Time passed, and Fyn found that it was getting harder to breathe. Slowly, he began to feel tired. Next to him, he could feel Shael breathing.

"_Good," _he thought, _"she's still holding on."_

Fyn's vision began to blur. He was losing focus, and his grip on consciousness was slipping. He looked up as his world began to grow dark. Suddenly, a bright light appeared. Fyn squinted. So _this _was death. A figure appeared, materializing out of the light.

"Grandpa?" Fyn muttered, "is that you?" The figure moved towards him, blocking out the light, and Fyn finally lost consciousness.

…

"There he is," Labon said, finally breaking through the stone into Fyn and Shael's short-lived sanctuary.

"Are they alive?" Keva asked, coming to her mate's side.

"Looks like it, but we need to get them into the fresh air as soon as possible."

They enlisted the help of the dinosaurs around them to help carry Fyn and Shael out. Once Littlefoot had spread the word that his friends were trapped, dinosaurs everywhere volunteered to help. The residents of the Great Valley had grown to like Fyn, and his kindness towards everyone, and the dinosaurs in Bron's herd were all more than eager to assist Shael. Supporting the two, one unconscious and another fighting to stay conscious, they moved them back to their respective nests, laying them down. Then they went back to their festivities: the Day of Mates had begun.

**And so, the menace is gone, and Littlefoot and Taria are together, but wait! Haven't we forgotten someone? This story isn't over yet, folks, oh no. Up next, Fyn. As well as the closure to this story.**


	8. Chapter 8: The Day of Mates

_Chapter 8: The Day of Mates_

Fyn shook himself awake, looking at his surroundings. Was he dead? He had no idea, but something about the area around seemed familiar. Then, he suddenly realized what was happening. He wasn't dead! He was back home in his nest!

"I see you're finally awake, sleepyhead."

Fyn turned around to face his visitor. It was Littlefoot, with Taria by his side.

"Littlefoot, Taria, I'm so glad to see you!" he said. Then, another thought came to his mind.

"Shael, is she-?"

"She's fine," Taria said. "In fact, she was on her way to the Day of Mates last time we checked."

"The Day of Mates!" Fyn gasped, "I almost forgot!"

"Slow down," Taria said, "and take it easy. You don't need to exert yourself right now."

"But I have to get to the Day of Mates."

"I know, Littlefoot told me everything."

Fyn looked at the two. "Hey, speaking of which, why aren't you two there?"

"We were," Littlefoot said. Fyn looked at Littlefoot, then Taria, then back to Littlefoot, finally making the connection.

"Oh my goodness," he said, "congratulations!"

The two blushed.

"We'd pretty much already decided up on the Smoking Mountain," Taria said, "but we came down to the Valley to celebrate. We decided to wait here, for you to wake."

"Well, if I may say so, I've never seen a better couple."

"Thank you," Littlefoot said.

"And I've never seen a better one, either," Keva said, coming out of the trees.

"Mother, you're here, too?"

"Of course."

"But you and Dad should be at the Day of Mates! Mates who are already together are supposed to be there, too."

"Oh, I'll go. Your father will hold my place until I arrive. In the meantime, I have work to do."

"Work? Today?"

"Of course," Keva said, smiling. "Only the most important work of my life."

"What's that?"

"Getting you ready for Shael, of course."

Fyn looked up at the sky. The Bright Circle was starting its descent.

"We won't get there in time," he said.

"Oh, don't give me that excuse," Littlefoot said, "you can move quickly enough. I saw you hustle to save Shael from that rockslide."

"You're right," Fyn said, "I _can _do this." He turned to Keva.

"What's first?"

Keva grinned, almost fiendishly.

"Your favorite part: the bath."

Fyn looked down at himself. He was blackened all over with ash from the Smoking Mountain, not to mention the dust from the rockslide that covered him. He groaned. This was not going to be fun.

…

Keva led her son to a secluded pool, with a small waterfall running into it.

"Enter," she said, in a mock forceful tone. She was speaking as she would have spoken to him when he was a child, Fyn realized, amused. He stuck his foot into the water, checking its temperature. It was freezing.

"Do I have to do this?" he asked his mother.

"Come on, you hatchling," she said, shoving him in, "it's not _that _bad."

"That's because you're not in it!" Fyn said, shivering. Keva shook her head, chuckling.

"Go stand under that waterfall until you're clean. Then let me have a look at you."

Fyn did as he was told, enduring the freezing water.

"_The things I do to impress someone..." _he thought. When he felt he was finished, he presented himself to his mother. Keva looked him over with her mother's eyes.

"No," she said, "go back and take the time to wash thoroughly. You can't leave a task half-done; certainly not if you plan to have a mate."

Fyn sighed, moving back under the water again. He made sure he was completely clean before going back to his mother. This time, Keva approved, and let him out of the pool. Fyn shook himself dry; the water on his skin was even colder, now that the air was on it.  
"What next?" he asked.

"The most important part," Keva answered, "follow me."

They moved deeper into the trees, until they came to a clearing, where Keva stopped.

"I don't understand," Fyn said.

"Fin-Necks have a specific way of getting a mate's attention," Keva explained, "we call it the Dance of Two."

"Dance of Two?" Fyn asked, "so it's a dance..."  
"More than that," Keva said. "It's a test, a challenge that tests the prospective mates' trust of each other. Without trust on both sides, the Dance will fail."

"This doesn't sound like my specialty," Fyn said, "can't I just talk to her?"

"No, that's not our way. For you two to truly be mates, the Dance must be completed, and she must partake in it."

"Fine, then," Fyn said, "what are the steps to this dance?"

"Well, it's a bit complicated..."

Fyn looked up at the sky. The Bright Circle would start setting, soon.

"I guess I have to learn fast, then."

"Right, call out once, to attract her attention."

Fyn obeyed, calling in a strong, confident tone.

"Good, there's the easy part out of the way. Next, crack your tail twice, side-to-side."

Fyn cracked his tail, a bit too enthusiastically, as it turned out. The first swipe upset his balance, leading his tail right into a tree branch for swipe number two, severing the branch with a loud crack. Fyn looked at his mother, who was shaking her head and laughing.

"Son, we have some work to do."

…

Shael was standing amongst all of the other dinosaurs out in the Valley looking for mates. A few had already tried to get her interest, but she had turned them away. She didn't know why; all of them could have been perfectly acceptable males, but she felt that she couldn't choose them. She needed something more. She worked hard, trying to figure out the problem.

"_You're too stubborn," _she thought, but she knew it wasn't the case. Perhaps, she thought, the real answer was something less negative.

"_Maybe I'm just looking for someone I can trust," _she realized. She went back to wandering, lost in a sea of hopefuls. Just then, a lone Fin-Neck call echoed over the Valley. Shael froze; she recognized that call. She looked toward the source, trying to find it. The crowd parted. Standing alone, in the fading light of the Bright Circle, was Fyn. Slowly, he approached. The crowd waited for Shael's reaction. If she called back, Fyn would have to give up. If she said nothing, however, the Dance of Two would begin. Shael, nervous beyond nervousness, said nothing, ready to take a chance. Fyn stopped right in front of her.

"Thanks for the chance," he whispered.

Suddenly, his tail cracked right, then left, faster and with more force than Sky Fire itself. At the completion of his maneuver, Fyn ducked his head low, swaying it from side to side. Inside, he was more nervous than he'd ever been, but outside, he maintained his composure, circling Shael. When he came to her back, his back was turned to her. Suddenly, he lunged into the air, standing on his back legs and twisting around falling. This was it, the defining moment. His head whipped around, Fyn expecting to get a face full of Great Valley dirt, but instead, his and Shael's front feet met, planted squarely against each other. She had fully accepted the dance, rearing up to break his fall. They pushed off of each other, settling back onto all four feet. They began a complex series of movements, intertwining necks and tails, circling, bringing their sharp spines close to each other without actually touching, and finally ending with muzzle pressed to muzzle.

"Thank you for your trust," Shael whispered to Fyn. They parted slightly, signifying the end of the dance.

"Shael," Fyn said, "There's something I have to say."

"What? 'I love you?' That's a bit unoriginal, don't you think?"

Fyn shook his head. "I _do _love you, but we both know that, now. I was actually about to say that you're standing in bubbling goo."

Shael looked down. Sure enough, in the excitement, they'd crossed over towards a pit of bubbling goo. And she'd gone and stepped in it. She looked at her foot, covered in muck, and back to Fyn, then back to her foot, then Fyn again. Fyn shrugged. Suddenly, the two burst out laughing. Fyn helped Shael out of the goo, and they both walked back to the Valley, where Labon and Keva were waiting, along with the gang and Bron. Labon and Bron stepped forward.

"For a joining of two herds, there is a custom," Bron said.

"It is old, and Longnecks have always followed it," Labon spoke.

Bron continued. "Today, Fyn and Shael, you two have come together as mates. It is now time for the leaders of your respective herds, Labon and myself, to finalize the act."

"Fyn," Labon said, "do you promise that you will sacrifice all and love Shael selflessly, while upholding the honor of your herd?"

"I promise," Fyn said.

"Shael," said Bron, "do promise to accept Fyn's offer of mateship, and devote yourself to him as a mate, while upholding the honor of _your _herd?"

"I promise."

"Then the act is complete," both Longnecks said together.

"May your union in mateship represent the union of our two herds as they come together." Bron finished.

"And may the Bright Circle always guide your journey," Labon said, offering the customary Fin-Neck "good luck" phrase to the new mates.

They touched muzzles, and all of their friends cheered. When they were finished, they all came to congratulate them. Cera, in fact, had a handsome green Threehorn following her.

"I don't know who he thinks he is," she confided to Fyn, "but the trouble is, I think I _like _him."

Fyn laughed. "Then give him a chance. Maybe you'll like what you find!"

"Hm, you know something, Fyn? You might actually be right." Cera said her congratulations to Shael and turned around to go speak with the other Threehorn.

Shael smiled. "I'm so glad this worked out in the end, for _everyone_."

"Me too," Fyn said. "Now there's one more thing I wanted to do... Oh right, dinner. Care to join me?"

"As always," Shael said. Fyn nodded to his parents and they nodded back, smiling at each other. Bron did the same to Shael as the two walked away, towards the Great Wall.

…

Once again, Fyn and Shael found themselves on top of the ridge overlooking the Great Valley. This time, their meal had been peaceful, and they ate in silence, watching the Bright Circle set. Shael turned to her new mate.

"You know, Fyn, I'm actually glad this didn't work out easily."

"How so?"

"Well, I had the chance to really see who you were, beneath all of this," She touched her tail to the hide on Fyn's front shoulder, "and I like what I found."

"What _did _you find?"

"I found someone I could always count on, someone who believes in me and himself, and most importantly, a Longneck who's willing to put up with me."

Fyn smiled. "I'm glad you see it that way." They moved closer together, staring up at the sky. The Bright Circle dipped below the horizon, and with it, it's rays of color disappeared, too, showing the night sky in all of its splendor. As they watched, dinosaurs in the Valley below began to leave for their respective nests, some in pairs. The sight was stirring, and Fyn was happy that, despite the challenges this world could throw in the way, happiness and love could exist, unaffected. Shael leaned closer to him.

"I'm really glad I came here. It's like a part of my life that's been missing is now complete."

"Me too," Fyn said, watching the stars grow in brightness.

Shael looked him in the eyes.

"Fyn?"

"Yes?"

"How do you feel about families?"

Fyn thought about it. It was a very vague question. "Well, I don't know. I like my family, my sisters are great-"

"What about _our _family?"

"You mean like my parents?"

"No, Leaf Brain," she laughed, "_we're _the parents."

Fyn's eyes went wide. "Oh, _that _family."

Shael persisted, through laughter, "so what do you think?"

"Well," Fyn said softly, looking at her with a serious expression, I think it's something worth looking into."

The Night Circle shone down upon the two Longnecks, as did the stars. The breeze caressed the mountaintops, adding to the beauty of the scene. For once, all was completely silent. It was a moment when everything seemed to stand still, as nature payed its tribute to the new mates of the Valley. Everyone was at peace, and on this night, both Fyn and Shael both felt as if they could truly walk among the clouds. They were together, and always would be, and nothing in the entire world could change that.


	9. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

The eggs were lined carefully and meticulously against the sides of the nest. Shael, who had arranged them, looked carefully at her handiwork, to make sure she'd left no small detail out. Her young would have to be perfectly situated when they hatched; she would accept no other alternative. Before long, her mate, Fyn, arrived as well, also admiring the job she'd done.

"Impressive," he said.

"Who knew?" Shael responded with a smile. "Who knew that we would be parents someday? I know _I'd _never considered it before we were mates."

"Well, I guess our plans change over time," Fyn said. "As I recall, it was _you _who suggested the idea."

"Well _you _agreed."

"Guilty," Fyn said, teasing.

"You are ridiculous," Shael laughed, playfully swiping him with the end of her tail.

"Come on," Fyn said, getting into a mock defensive position, "just one round, you and me. Scared?"

Shael was laughing even harder, now; so hard, in fact, that she didn't even notice Littlefoot and Taria sneak up from behind.

"Surprise!" Littlefoot said.

"Littlefoot, Taria, it's great to see you. What are you doing here?" Shael asked. The two looked knowingly at each other.

"We wanted to introduce you to the family." Taria said.

"Fam- they hatched?" Fyn was ecstatic, "I have to see them! Give me an introduction."

Littlefoot turned, showing off four little Longnecks on his back to Fyn and Shael. He dipped his head towards each one in turn, naming them.

"This one," he said, pointing towards a rose-colored female, "is Apa." He moved on to a dark reddish-brown male, who was raising his head to look around. "That's Cref, this is Maina," he gestured to a sleeping blue female, "and this," he said, coming to the last Longneck, a dark grey female, "is Littletail."

"Littletail?" Fyn asked, "that sounds almost like your name."

"It's a naming tradition for my family," Littlefoot explained. "Almost all of us are 'Littles' at some point in our lives."

Fyn nodded as Littlefoot let the little ones down to play. They immediately clustered around Shael's and Fyn's nest, looking curiously at the eggs. Then, the first small crack sounded from one of the eggs. Fyn looked on in wonder.

"I name it if it's a girl," Shael said.

"Fine, but if it's a boy, I name him," Fyn countered.

The egg began to split, its shaking seeming to trigger the two eggs near it to begin cracking. Fyn peered closely at the egg. The young dinosaur inside had already managed to break off a significant chunk of the shell. Fyn and Shael looked on, beyond joy, at the miracle before them. Finally, with a squeak, the egg's occupant tumbled out onto the Valley floor for the first time. It was a boy, and his markings were almost identical to Fyn's with one exception: a white streak running from the top of his head almost to his snout.

"He's beautiful," Shael said, licking him to clean him up. "Alright, Mr. 'if it's a boy, I name him,' what's your name?"

Fyn didn't hesitate. "Polen."

Shael nodded, "I like it. Polen it is." The little Fin-Neck was already up and peering at Littlefoot's and Taria's children, looking at his new friends. As the other two began to hatch, Fyn and Shael named them: Fas, a red male, and Neya, a little tan female. They watched as their children mingled with those of Littlefoot and Taria, becoming acquainted with each other. In time, they knew, they would grow to experience many of the same things the adults had experienced in life, and would become the next generation of friends, adventuring through the Great Valley and possibly beyond as they'd always done.

Littlefoot saw all of this and smiled to himself. His grandmother had told him about the Circle of Life long ago, and he now fully appreciated it, seeing it in action. Finally, he could see his role in it. As he watched his children and his friend's children playing together, he knew that he'd made the right choice long ago when he decided not to just quit on his journey to the Great Valley, instead opting to persevere regardless of the challenges that faced him on the way. It was truly moments like these, he knew, that made all of life's hardships worthwhile.

**And so concludes another tale. I'll be on a _long _break from writing from here on out. Maybe just a "one shot" or a short story sometime in June... I'll be attending BCT at the US Air Force Academy, so obviously, writing during that six-week period is _out. _But, I will do my best to come back once BCT is done. Please review, and have an outstanding summer.**

**May the Bright Circle always guide your journey,**

**-YF**

**P.S. By the way, a little trivia here. The name "Polen" is a reference to Fyn's grandfather, Poldar. It's his way of paying homage to the Longneck he respected the most in his life. Just a little tidbit of info there!**


End file.
